


to build a home

by deducingontheroof



Series: The Cinematic Apocalypse [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst with a Happy Ending, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Blood, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Major Character Injury, Medical Inaccuracies, Violence, Zombies, non-binary Pidge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 12:34:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14355621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deducingontheroof/pseuds/deducingontheroof
Summary: “Matt?” they called, “Shiro?”The apartment was completely silent, save for the faint ticking of the kitchen clock and the ever-present music coming from the apartment above theirs. Everything was throwing up red flags in their mind.On a normal day, Matt would wake them up no later than nine, and Shiro would be singing off-key as he cooked breakfast. The three of them would curl up in front of the television, eating pancakes and dissecting the inaccuracies in the latest episode of Doctor Who.So why was today any different?





	to build a home

**Author's Note:**

> this has been a wild ride. this is my finished piece for [pidge big bang!!!](https://pidgebigbang.tumblr.com/) im honestly so proud of it, and so happy to have gotten to work with such amazing people!! please check out the artists i had the honour of working with, their work is amazing!! [vi-art](https://vi-art.tumblr.com/) [petri](http://petrichorpearl.tumblr.com/) [meli](http://astereli.tumblr.com/)

Pidge woke up slowly, which was unusual.

 

They rolled over, shielding their eyes from the sunlight streaming in through the window. It was already late, probably early afternoon. They never slept this late.

 

Why hadn’t Matt woken them up?

 

Kicking off the covers, they sat up, turning and sliding their feet into a pair of slippers haphazardly discarded beside the bed. Tugging a sweater over their tight tank top, they opened the bedroom door, yawning quietly as they trudged out into the hallway.

 

“Matt?” they called, “Shiro?”

 

The apartment was completely silent, save for the faint ticking of the kitchen clock and the ever-present music coming from the apartment above theirs. Everything was throwing up red flags in their mind.

 

On a normal day, Matt would wake them up no later than nine, and Shiro would be singing off-key as he cooked breakfast. The three of them would curl up in front of the television, eating pancakes and dissecting the inaccuracies in the latest episode of  _ Doctor Who.  _

 

So why was today any different?

 

Rubbing at their eyes, they knocked on the door to Matt’s bedroom before opening it. “Matt? Shiro? Where are you guys?”

 

The room was empty. Matt’s phone was sitting on the desk, and the covers were rumpled and messy, which Shiro would never allow.

 

Something was wrong.

 

“Matt!! Shiro!!” they called, louder this time. They could feel the panic building up in their chest. Matt and Shiro were gone. They hadn’t left a note, they hadn’t texted Pidge… Matt hadn’t even taken his cell phone. He had promised to always, always carry it and keep it turned on in case Pidge needed something.

 

The fact that he had broken that promise made Pidge’s insides twist and tighten.

 

They whirled around and dashed back to their room, fumbling their phone between trembling fingers. Somehow, they managed to dial Shiro’s number.

 

One ring. Two. Three.

 

_ Hey, you’ve reached Shirogane Takashi- _

 

They shut the phone with a hiss, tossing it onto their bed and taking a deep breath.

 

There was no need to panic. They were probably just at the store or something. Matt could have forgotten his phone.

 

They were fine.

 

Pidge couldn’t shake the bad feeling, though. That feeling in their stomach, that made their organs do flips and their chest grow tight. 

 

It wouldn’t hurt to go out and look for them, right? They couldn’t have gone far, after all, since Shiro didn’t drive and Matt’s car was clearly visible through Pidge’s bedroom window.

 

They had a sudden idea, grabbing their laptop off the desk and settling onto their bed. They still had the password for Shiro’s phone. They could trace it.

 

Two clicks and an agonizingly long wait later, they had a location no more than three blocks away. Without stopping to think, or to even put on a binder, they grabbed their jacket, shoving their phone and keys into the pocket of their sweats, and practically ran out the door.

 

As they stepped out onto the street, it felt as if they had entered a ghost town. Everything was silent, and there wasn't another person around.

 

That was another red flag. At this time, the street should be bustling with activity. The coffee shop next door should be in the middle of a lunch rush, the girls who lived in the apartment across the hall should be getting home, and the old guy across the street should be walking his dog and offering Pidge a hard candy. After living there for so long, Pidge knew every detail of their neighbours’ daily routines. They were observant, and they had everyone’s schedules memorized.

 

Something was very, very wrong.

 

Gently slapping their cheeks in order to clear their head, they started walking quickly down the street. According to the trace on Shiro’s phone, he was essentially three blocks straight left, inside Pidge’s favourite video store. Maybe they had been shopping for something to surprise Pidge?

 

They felt guilty for a moment for potentially ruining the surprise, but their worry soon overwhelmed that. They had to be sure that Shiro and Matt were okay.

 

Walking quickly, they covered the three blocks in a few minutes and found themself outside the video store. They blinked, not quite understanding what they were seeing.

 

The store was completely dark, and the door was closed. They could barely see what looked like a chain holding it shut from the inside, and yet the ancient, broken ‘open’ sign fizzled and flickered in the window. They tried to open the door, but it didn’t budge.

 

Their hysteria increasing, they shakily dug their phone out, dialling Shiro’s number again.

 

Their stomach plummeted as they heard the faint sound of Shiro’s ringtone sounding from the alley between the video store and the tattoo parlour next door. Hesitating only for a second, they entered the alley, activating their flashlight to penetrate the shadows that the sunlight didn’t reach.

 

Shiro’s phone was on the ground, lying carelessly on top of some messily piled bags of trash. And beside the bags-

 

No. No, this couldn’t be happening. Pidge refused to believe it.

 

Next to where Shiro’s phone was lying, the ground was splattered with barely-dried blood. There was too much, way too much.

 

Whoever the blood had come from couldn’t have possibly survived.

 

Pidge steadied themself on the filthy brick wall, trying to get their breathing back under control. Shiro was fine, Matt was fine… maybe they stumbled upon someone who had been attacked? And Shiro dropped his phone after calling an ambulance?

 

Pidge sighed, scrubbing a hand up their face. There wasn’t any point in trying to rationalize the situation. Something bad had happened to Shiro. They only hoped that Shiro and Matt were alive, that they were safe somewhere.

 

Wiping away a tear, they went to pick up Shiro’s cell phone, tucking it into their back pocket.

  
They froze when they heard a sound coming from behind the mound of trash. It sounded almost like a groan, and there was a shuffling sound as one of the bags toppled over and a hand appeared.

  
“Shiro?” Pidge called cautiously, one hand sliding into their jacket pocket and finding the mace Matt started making them carry after the recent attacks on queer people in their neighbourhood.

 

The groan turned into a growl, and the hand disappeared for a second before a man rose shakily to his feet. Relief washed through their body as they recognized him as the owner of the video store.

 

“Mr. Morgan! Thank goodness,” they sighed, “Are you okay? Have you seen my brothers?”

 

He didn’t respond, only lumbering closer to them as another growl tore its way from his throat. His eyes rolled back into his head as he snarled, reaching towards them with a bloody, mottled hand.

 

Pidge stumbled backwards, putting some space between them and the man. Something was clearly wrong with him. Human skin didn’t look like that, not as long as he was alive-

 

They noticed the vicious bite mark on Mr. Morgan’s neck, the flesh that was missing, the purpling veins around it, and they swore softly.

 

“You aren’t alive, are you,” Pidge cursed anxiously, not really expecting an answer. “You don’t want to hurt me. You know me, remember? I’m Pidge, Pidge Holt. I’m your best customer. Mr. Morgan, I’m going to- I’m going to leave now.”

 

As they took another step backwards, his eyes rolled back, leaving nothing visible but the swollen veins and the yellowing whites. He seemed to look right at them, his tongue lolling out as he matched Pidge step for step.

 

“I don’t want to hurt you!” Pidge said desperately, whipping out their mace and aiming it with trembling hands. “Just stay where you are!”

 

He lunged forward suddenly, and they sprayed him right in the face, squeezing their eyes shut and looking away. He howled, stumbling backwards, and they dropped the mace, running out of the alley without looking back. 

 

They spotted another person down the street, and their breathing sped up again. This couldn’t be actually happening. They couldn’t seriously be in the middle of what looked like a zombie apocalypse. This wasn’t some video game, this was real life!   
  


They were on the verge of tears, but they pushed their emotions back, jogging back towards their apartment. They had to get off of the streets, and they had to find out if their friends were alright.

 

They paled, stumbling at the thought of Keith, Lance, and Hunk. They’d be fine, right? They were all smart, and they wouldn’t do anything stupid. 

 

They tried not to think about how Lance and doing something stupid were practically synonyms.

 

They made it safely back to the apartment, sprinting up the stairs and locking the front door behind them. Then, just to be safe, they checked all of the windows, locking the ones that could be locked and rearranging some of the furniture to block the ones that couldn’t.

 

Once they were safe, they let their knees buckle, falling against the wall and letting out a strangled sob.

 

They couldn’t believe that this was happening. They just couldn’t. Their brother and his fiancee are missing, they haven’t heard from their friends, and the only people walking the streets were the walking dead.

 

Their phone vibrated, and they wiped their eyes with a hiccup, digging it out and reading the new text.

 

FROM: HUNK

MSG: TRN ON THE NEWS RIGHT NOW

 

Frowning, they pushed off of the ground, moving to turn on the television.

 

“...patients are mobile and highly contagious. Do not try to approach anyone infected. If you see someone who may be suffering from this highly infective virus, call your local emergency services immediately. These people may be suffering from a series of vivid hallucinations and will not recognize you. The government is asking everyone to stay indoors until this virus can be contained.”

 

Pidge snorted. Maybe it was a virus, but those people weren’t just hallucinating. They were dead, and they were zombies. What they didn’t understand was why the government would try to cover something like this up.

 

With a furrowed brow, they quickly tapped out a text to their group chat with Hunk, Lance, and Keith.

 

TO: THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: THE VIRUS SHIT IS A LIE WE’VE GOT FUCKING ZOMBIES WALKING AROUND

 

FROM: HUNK, THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: WHOA ARE YOU SURE???

 

FROM: LANCE, THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: PFFT AS IF PIDGE LMAO

 

TO: THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: SHUT UP THIS IS NO TIME FOR JOKES I JUST GOT ATTACKED IN THE STREET AND SHIRO AND MATT ARE MISSING

 

FROM: KEITH, THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: MISSING? ARE YOU SURE, PIDGE?

 

TO: THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: STOP FUKCIN ASKING OF COURSE IM SURE

 

FROM: LANCE, THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: K SO WTF DO WE DO??? R U SAFE PIDGE????

 

TO: THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: FOR NOW. CAN U GUYS GET HERE SAFELY

 

FROM: KEITH, THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: I HAVE A KEY FOR MY NEIGHBOUR’S CAR. I CAN PICK YOU TWO UP AND TAKE YOU TO PIDGE’S.

 

FROM: LANCE, THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: YE DO IT MAN WE GOTTA GET TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING

 

TO: THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: C U SOON PLEASE HURRY. I LOVE YOU

 

TO: THREE NERDS AND AN EMO

MSG: AND PACK A BAG. SOMETHING TELLS ME IT WONT BE SAFE TO STAY HERE

 

Pidge shoved their phone back in their pocket, shoving away the myriad of emotions they were feeling at the same time, and went to Matt’s room. They remembered Shiro stashing some stuff from his military days, and they were hopeful that they’d find something helpful in the dusty corners of the closet.

 

The first thing to come out was a battered backpack, which Pidge smoothed out and opened, pulling out the old fatigues that Shiro had stored inside so that they were out of site. They knew he didn’t have the fondest memories of his service, and he still suffered from PTSD.

 

Which made them worry even more about him.

 

The backpack was quickly filled with a few things Pidge thought they’d need, including a survival blanket, a few books of matches, and a slightly dusty water bottle with a filter that looked functional. Just to be sure, they tossed in a few containers of chlorine tablets.

 

The next thing Pidge pulled out was a survival knife, complete with a thigh holster. They went to fasten it, hesitating when they realized they had no idea how to wear it. Did it go over their pants or under? Should the knife be on the inside of their thigh or the outside? Shrugging, they fastened it over their pants, with the knife on the outside and the handle in a position where they could easily grab it with their dominant left hand.

 

They hesitated when they reached the box with Shiro’s service pistol, sitting haphazardly atop a few boxes of spare ammunition. It might help, but they had no idea how to shoot a gun. Lance did, though, as an aspiring cop, so they set it and the ammo to the side to give to him.

 

Pidge almost missed the small, leatherbound book lying on the floor in the very corner. If they hadn’t felt the cover as they removed the pistol, they would have missed it entirely. Curiosity peaking, they opened it to a random page.

 

It held a dated journal entry, clearly written while Shiro was in the field. The writing was smudged and hasty, and some of the pages were stuck together by old, dried blood.

 

It felt like an invasion of Shiro’s privacy to read what was clearly his most dark and intimate thoughts, so they flipped to the front, hoping to find some tips or something that would help them as they prepared to enter what could be considered a warzone.

 

Instead, they found a single sentence, written in clear, careful printing that contrasted the rest of the book.

 

_ In case of emergency: 38.4404° N, 122.7141° W _

 

This was the best thing Pidge could have hoped to find; a legitimate lead on where Matt and Shiro might have gone. Taking the book with them, Pidge got to their feet, practically running into the kitchen to dig through a drawer for the map they knew was there somewhere.

 

Easily locating it, Pidge grabbed the map and a pen, unfolding it and laying it out on the counter. They marked their current location with an X, and carefully using two fingers to trace the latitude and longitude lines indicated by the coordinates. The two lines met in a small town, which Pidge added a second X to. 

 

They frowned at the distance. It would only be a few hours by car, but it wouldn’t be safe to drive. The noise would attract too much attention, and sticking to the roads would make them too vulnerable. It would probably take at least three days to get there on foot, and that was without factoring in breaks, sleep, and any zombies or other obstacles that would slow them down. 

 

Pidge flinched as the doorbell sounded, but shook it off and cautiously approached the door.

 

“Hello?” they called, voice quivering slightly.

 

“Pidge, it’s us!” Hunk’s voice answered, and they unchained the door, throwing it open and hugging Hunk tightly.

 

“Thank fuck you’re all okay!” they murmured into Hunk’s chest, fighting back tears yet again.

 

Hunk pulled back with a laugh, ruffling their hair. “Of course we’re okay.”

 

“It takes more than some zombies to hurt me,” Lance proclaimed, elbowing Hunk aside to hug Pidge as well. “I was more worried about you, Pigeon.”

 

“You’re sure you’re okay, Pidge?” Keith asked softly, closing the door and chaining it behind him. “You said you ran into a zombie. It didn’t bite you, did it?”

 

“No, I maced it,” Pidge confirmed, biting their lip. “It was close, though. And I’m really worried about Matt and Shiro.”

 

“Why would they go off on their own?” Keith asked, a hint of frustration present in his voice. “We could have helped them.”

 

“Don’t worry too much!! Those guys are strong,” Lance soothed, kissing the top of Pidge’s head. “Those zombies won’t even get close to them, okay?”

 

“I’m still worried.” Pidge ran a hand through their hair with a sigh, leading their friends into the kitchen. “I mean, they didn’t even leave a note, or take anything with them! Shiro didn’t even take his gun.”

 

“Hey, I’m sure he’s going to be fine, Pidge!” Hunk reassured with a smile. “Now, what’s all this?”

 

“Oh!” Pidge blinked. “I found this with Shiro’s stuff, it’s a journal. I figured the coordinates might be a good place to look for him. It’s not too far from here. We could probably make it in a week on foot.”

 

“I do have the car,” Keith pointed out.

 

“We’d draw too much attention, and the roads are too exposed,” Pidge rebutted, fidgeting nervously. “I think we’ve got a better chance on foot.”

 

“They’ve got a point!” Lance agreed, gently nudging their thigh with his knee. “And I see you’ve already armed yourself, Pigeon. I’ll probably take Shiro’s gun, if that’s cool, but we need to find something for Hunk and Keith.”

 

“I’ve got a knife,” Keith added, “Concealed in my boot, in case we ran into anyone else alive who might not take kindly to an exposed weapon.”

 

“I’m not much for fighting,” Hunk admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I did throw a crowbar in my bag, though, just in case. I’ll, uhh, stick with that?”

 

“All that matters is that you can protect yourself if you need to, especially if we’re going on foot,” Keith told solemnly, briefly patting Hunk’s shoulder. “Are you ready to go, Pidge?”

 

“Um, yeah. I just need to grab a jacket,” they responded. “Pack up some food, preferably the canned shit, and I’ll be right back.”

 

They went back into Matt’s room, chewing on the inside of their cheek. They were honestly surprised that they hadn’t broken down yet, what with the insurmountable amount of anxiety they’d been subjected to that day.

 

Their eyes fell upon a framed picture of the three of them on the desk, and their chest tightened. They picked up the picture, gently running a thumb along Matt’s outline.

 

“I’ll find you, Matt. I promise,” they whispered. After considering it a moment, they tucked the picture into their backpack. It didn’t weigh much, and they couldn’t bear losing it.

 

They shrugged on one of Matt’s jackets, which hung loosely off their form but didn’t impede their movement. Slinging the bag over a shoulder, Pidge grabbed Shiro’s gun and a box of spare ammunition and returned to the kitchen, where their friends were stuffing cans into bags.

 

“Here,” they murmured, passing the gun and ammo to Lance,  who took them with a smile.

 

“Thanks, Pigeon,” Lance said, tucking the pistol into the back of his jeans. “Fill your bag and we’ll hit the road!”

 

-

 

The four of them stood on the highway about a mile from Pidge’s apartment, deserted pavement stretching for miles in each direction and a forest in front of them. Pidge checked the map again, consulting the compass in Hunk’s hand.

 

“You sure it’s a good idea to go in there?” Hunk asked nervously, “There could be wolves, or bears, or-”

 

Keith cut in, “It’ll save time, and keep us out of sight. We just need to make sure we don’t lose our bearings.”

 

“We just need to head straight north,” Pidge confirmed, “We’ll find a hiking trail near the other side that’ll take us up into the mountains.”

 

“Mountains?” Lance groaned, “Could you have chosen a more exhausting route?”

 

“It’s the fastest way to the coordinates,” Pidge snapped back, putting the map away again. “We can’t just stand around, something might pick up our scent.”

 

“Pidge is right. Let’s get moving,” Keith agreed, one hand on his knife as he looked around them, keeping watch. He’d moved his knife to his belt before they’d set off for easier access. Pidge touched their own knife for reassurance. “We need to be deep in the forest before night, or we’ll be easy targets. We also need to find a water source. Our bottles won’t stay full forever.”

 

Each of them had packed two bottles of water; they didn’t want to bring less and risk running out, or more and add to the weight already on their backs.

 

“I think there was a river on the map, a little less than halfway through the forest,” Pidge told uncertainly. “We should be able to get there today if we walk until sundown.”

 

“After you,” Lance told Keith teasingly, extending an arm in a mock bow. He scoffed, but started walking, Lance following close and throwing a few more teasing jibes at him. Pidge and Hunk walked a few steps behind them, Hunk watching the direction on his compass and Pidge watching their backs, looking backwards every once in awhile to ensure that nothing could sneak up on them.

 

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Hunk said with a sigh. “I mean, who’d have thought that we’d spend the day walking through the wilderness, on the run from zombies? I was supposed to work today! Everything was supposed to be normal.”

 

“I know what you mean,” Pidge agreed wearily, “I was going to be playing in a tournament tonight. Matt was expecting a letter from university. He was going to go into pre-med, but instead-”

 

They cut themself off, choking back a sob. 

 

“Hey,” Hunk said softly, grabbing their hand. “You know we’re going to find him, right? Him and Shiro.”

 

“It’s the only thing keeping me going,” Pidge admitted, “I have to believe that they’re okay, and that we’ll find them. I can’t imagine living without them.”

 

“We will find them, both alive and well,” Hunk promised, squeezing their hand. 

 

“Don’t fall behind, you two,” Keith called over his shoulder. “If we get separated, we’re finished.”

 

“We’re right here, don’t worry,” Pidge responded, “Just keep walking! We have ground to cover before night.”

 

-

 

They walked for a few more hours, and the sun was barely visible over the trees when they came across the river.

 

“We made it!” Lance crowed, immediately flopping down on a rock. “I’m starving. Can we call it a day?”

 

Pidge and Keith exchange glances, Pidge nodding subtly.

 

“Yeah, let’s stop here. It’s getting late,” Keith agreed, “Hunk, come find some firewood with me. Pidge, Lance, lay down those blankets you brought and get a fire started. There’s enough debris around to get something going, and make sure to ring it with stones or something to keep it contained.”

 

“You got it, Captain.” Lance mockingly saluted, grinning cheekily at Pidge. All four of them dropped their bags in a little pile before Hunk and Keith disappeared into the trees, and Pidge started digging in their bag.

 

“Lance, can you collect some of that debris and find some rocks?” Pidge requested hesitantly, not used to giving orders like Keith was. “I’ll grab the blankets and shit to start a fire, and some food.”   
  


“Sure, Pigeon!” Lance agreed, getting to his feet and stretching his arms above his head. “You think one can each is good for today?”

 

Pidge nodded, chuckling slightly. “Hunk’s not going to like it, though.”

 

Lance laughed, “You’re right, he’s totally not. He’s not gonna have a choice, though. It’s not like we can go to the store.”

 

Pidge hummed their agreement, extracting the survival blanket from their bag and going into Lance’s to find the bigger one he had stashed at the bottom. With the two blankets in their arms, they walked over to where Lance was constructing a circle of stones.

 

“Where do you want these?” they asked.

 

“Just throw ‘em on the ground next to the fire-to-be,” he told offhandedly, “Is this circular enough?”

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Pidge laughed, laying the blankets down and spreading them out to form makeshift beds. The fire would keep them warm, and the blankets would keep them from getting shit in their hair.

 

Lance pondered the lopsided circle for a few more seconds before shrugging and starting to neatly pile twigs and sticks in the middle. Pidge went back to their bag again, rifling through to find one of the matchbooks. They would be worried about how few matches they had, but they were fairly certain that Keith had a lighter or two tucked away somewhere. With the matches in hand, Pidge sat down, crossing their legs and propping their head up with a hand as Lance tried to get three sticks to stay upright in a pyramid.

 

“I don’t think it matters if they’re sticking up or not,” they commented, the slightest hint of a teasing tone present.

 

“Shh,” he responded, “I’ve almost got it.”

 

Pidge laughed again, then stopped. They were joking and laughing with Lance as though nothing had happened. They had almost forgotten their situation for a second, had almost forgotten that Matt and Shiro were missing.

 

“How are you acting so normal?” they asked, “You’re so calm, like the situation isn’t even affecting you.”

 

Lance abandoned the sticks, moving to sit on the blanket beside Pidge. He sighed deeply. “It’s easier this way. I deal with shit by making jokes and pretending it’s not real. If I let this zombie bullshit get to me, I’ll break down.”

 

“That makes sense,” Pidge responded, meeting Lance’s eyes with a smile. “Keep making jokes, okay? It makes it seem less real. I almost forgot where we were for a minute.”

 

“That I can do, little Pigeon,” he grinned, ruffling their hair. “Get that fire going! It’s getting cold, and I’m hungry as hell.”

 

Pidge readjusted their position so they were kneeling, leaning forward over the makeshift firepit. They struck a match with little difficulty, letting it fall onto some of the dried moss Lance had positioned around the sticks. It caught easily, the small flame spreading and igniting the moss. They both watched as it licked its way up to the sticks, setting the wood ablaze and washing a wave of warmth over the two.

 

“That’s more like it,” Lance sighed, leaning back on his elbows.

 

“We’re back,” Keith called, appearing to Pidge’s right and depositing a load of wood onto the ground a fair distance away from the fire. Hunk wasn’t far behind him, with an even bigger armful of wood.

 

“Throw some of that on right away,” Lance said, “Let’s get this baby going!”

 

Hunk complied, laying a couple of branches on top of the flickering flame as Keith crossed to their bags.

 

“Pidge, I’m going into your bag for food,” Keith told, respectful of others’ belongings even in a situation like this.

 

“Go ahead,” they responded, returning to their cross-legged position. “Bring me something with fruit, if I’ve got any in there.”

 

Keith rummaged around for a minute before coming over to them with four cans, settling onto the larger blanket with Hunk.

 

“Canned peaches for Pidge, beef stew for the rest of us,” Keith announced, passing cans to Hunk and Pidge and tossing Lance’s. 

 

“How are we going to open these?” Hunk said, and Pidge stared at the can for a second. That was a good question.

 

“Will our knives cut through the metal?” Pidge asked.

 

“Hopefully,” Keith shrugged, “If we get through, we can pry them open the rest of the way.”

 

Pidge pulled their knife out of the sheath, digging it into the top of the can. It cut through the soft metal with relative ease, and soon enough, all four of them were scooping cold food into their mouths with their hands. Hunk was practically drinking his, holding the can up to his mouth to eat faster.

 

“Slow down there, buddy,” Lance chuckled, “That’s gotta last you to tomorrow.”

 

Hunk let the can fall from his lips, staring at it morosely. “I’d normally eat three of these!”

 

“Good thing this isn’t exactly normal,” Pidge told with a quiet laugh, “When the apocalypse is over, you can eat all the beef stew your stomach can hold.”

 

“Did you hear that? Pidge is treating me to dinner when this is over!” Hunk teased, grinning and bringing the can back to his lips.

 

“Whoa, I didn’t say that! I can’t afford your appetite,” they teased back, taking a swig from their water bottle to wash down the sweetness of the peaches.

 

“When this is over, I’ll treat all of you,” Keith promised with a rare smile, setting aside his empty can. “Table for six. It’ll be nice.”

 

Pidge blinked back a tear at Keith’s words. He had included Matt and Shiro in that number. He believed that they would find them.

 

Pidge believed too, of course, but they were truly worried. All they had been able to think about all day was their brother and his fiancee. They could feel their chest tightening again, and they took another hasty sip, trying to calm down. They would have plenty of time to break down when this was all over. Until then, they couldn’t afford to cry, or break down, or have a panic attack.

 

They could only look forward, with the belief that their brothers were safe and waiting for them at those distant coordinates.

 

Finishing off the last of their pears, Pidge let out a yawn, setting the can aside and laying back on the blanket. Lance, noticing their yawn, poked their face cheekily.

 

“Someone’s getting tired, hmm?” he teased.

 

“We’re all getting tired,” Keith rebutted, “And we should get some rest. I’ll take first watch, since we shouldn’t sleep all at once.”

 

“I’ll take second!” Lance volunteered, “I never sleep more than a couple hours anyways!”

 

Keith nodded, “Two shifts should get us through the night. Get some sleep, guys. I’ll wake you if anything happens, and I’ll wake Lance in a few hours for watch.”

 

Pidge didn’t need anything else, bringing their knees to their chest and letting their head rest on the hard ground. Frowning, they tugged off their jacket, balling it up and shoving it under their head.

 

“Night, Pidge,” Lance whispered from beside them, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to their forehead. “Don’t let the bedbugs bite!”

 

-

 

Pidge was woken suddenly by a rough hand shaking their shoulder. They blinked blearily, vaguely making out Keith’s face, still framed by the light of the moon.

 

“We’re surrounded,” he hissed, barely audible. “We might need to fight them off.”

 

Pidge rocketed to their feet, immediately drawing their knife and looking around. Through the shadows, they could see small flashes of movement at the edge of the clearing.

 

Hunk was already up, and Pidge went to stand beside him, their backs to the fire as Keith woke Lance.

 

“What’s going on?” they whispered.

 

“No clue,” Hunk answered, nervously hefting his crowbar. “Keith woke me up when they surrounded us. They haven’t come into the light yet, but if they attack, we’re done for.”

 

“How many are there?”

 

Keith and Lance joined them before Hunk could attempt to answer, which they were almost grateful for. They didn’t really want to know how hopeless their situation was.

 

"What's the plan?" Lance asked.

 

"What can we do?" Pidge countered, "They're all around us, the river's behind us. There's nowhere to go."

 

"Good news is they won't come into the light," Hunk told, trying to lighten the mood. "We're safe for as long as the fire's going!"

 

"Don't assume that they won't just because they aren't," Keith corrected crossly. "They could attack us at any moment. We need to be prepared. Is everyone armed?"

 

"We're surrounded by fucking zombies in the middle of the woods with no way out," Lance said with a grim chuckle. "Of course we're fucking armed."

 

"I had to be sure," Keith snapped back, the volume of his words not lessening the bite in his tone. 

 

Lance sighed, dropping to the ground and burying his face in his knees, letting the butt of his pistol rest on his forehead. "This is fucked. We're all fucked."

 

"You've used the word 'fuck' four times in as many sentences," Pidge teased weakly, kneeling next to him and letting a hand rest on his shoulder. "You know we're going to live through this, right?"

 

"You can't know that, Pidge!" Lance argued, clearly struggling to keep their voice to a whisper. "Just like Keith said, they could attack us at any moment, and if that happens, we're dead. We can't fight these things!"

 

"Hey," Pidge said sharply, tugging his hands away from his face and turning to face him. "We're still alive. As far as I'm concerned, that means we're doing good so far. I'm not letting any of us die, not until we find my brothers. You still owe Shiro money from that last bet you lost, and you're deluded if you think I'm gonna let you die before you pay him back."

 

"How reassuring." Lance rolled his eyes, but they caught the faintest trace of a smile on his face before he stood back up, offering them a hand. "Stop sitting around, Pigeon. We've got zombies to watch."

 

They let a small smile cross their face for a second, shaking their head and taking Lance's hand. As they climbed to their feet, Keith's fingers brushed their shoulder. The touch was fleeting, but Pidge knew these boys well enough to know every touch. This one was grateful, a relieved message that couldn't force itself past Keith's lips. Pidge had calmed Lance down in a way that Keith never could, and he was thanking them. 

 

"We've got to stay close to the fire, and stay together," Keith told quickly, pretending as if Lance hadn't just broken down and continuing where they had left off. "I needed to wake you all to let you know the situation, but you can go back to sleep. I can continue my watch."

 

"No way," Pidge protested, "You've been watching for long enough, and I doubt we're leaving as early as we planned. Lance can take his watch now, and I can take a third shift."

 

"Pidge, I'm fine to stay up," Keith insisted.

 

"No, Pidge is right," Hunk agreed, "We aren't leaving until they're gone, so we should all take the opportunity to get some extra sleep.”

 

"Don't worry, it's not like I'll fall asleep on watch," Lance said dryly, "Now that I'm awake, I probably won't get back to sleep anyways. I'll wake you in a few hours, Pigeon, but only because you'll kill me if I don't."

 

Keith looked away, guilt evident on his face. Lance had suffered from insomnia for as long as they had known him, and he was right; once he was awake, he didn't go back to sleep.

 

“It’s not your fault, Keith,” Lance said quickly, noticing the slight change in Keith’s demeanor. “I would have been pissed if you didn’t wake me up. You were right to.”

 

Keith let a small smile cross his face before returning to his spot on the blanket, bringing his knees to his chest. He yawned, “Wake me if anything changes.”

 

“Sure,” Lance agreed, “I love you, nerds. See you in the morning.”

 

Hunk gave both Pidge and Lance a tight hug before lying down next to Keith, tugging the edge of the blanket over himself. Pidge kissed Lance’s cheek quickly before taking a seat on the other blanket.

 

“I can stay up with you, if you want,” they offered, not wanting to leave Lance alone after his breakdown.

 

“Don’t be dumb. You’re exhausted.” He waved them off. “Get some sleep.”

 

“You’re exhausted, too,” they argued, but their point was made moot when a yawn forced its way out.

 

Lance laughed. “See? You need to sleep. Don’t worry, Pidge, I’ll be fine.”

 

Pidge frowned, but obediently reclined on the blanket, tugging their balled-up jacket back under their head. “Love you, Lance,” they murmured softly before letting sleep claim them once more.

 

-

 

When Lance gently shook them awake, the sky was already starting to lighten, and the trees were no longer shrouded by shadows. Even with the bleary vision of someone who’d just woken from sleep, Pidge could see the zombies, wandering around the perimeter of the clearing. They could see at least six.

 

“They haven’t left, huh,” they sighed, sitting up. “How are we on wood?”

 

“Not good.” Lance grimaced as he flopped down next to them. “If we can’t get into the woods to collect more, it’s gonna go out by noon.”

 

“Shit,” Pidge swore, glaring into the woods. “Why the hell won’t they leave?”

 

“They can probably smell us. That’s how it always happens in the movies,” Lance said.

 

Pidge let out a laugh. “You’re probably right, actually.”

 

“Of course I’m right! When am I ever wrong?” Lance asked, pouting slightly.

 

“I won’t answer that.” Pidge turned slightly, looking to the woods across the river. Their eyes widened as a thought occurred to them. “Hey, have you seen any zombies on the other side of the river?”

 

“No,” Lance denied, turning to look as well. “What, you think we can escape across the river?”

 

“Maybe,” Pidge shrugged. “But I could almost definitely sneak across to find some more wood.”

 

“Whoa, no way am I letting you cross the river alone,” Lance protested, “If anyone’s gonna try that, it’s me.”

 

“You don’t have a weapon that’s safe to use in a situation that relies on stealth,” Pidge countered, standing up. “I’m going.”

 

“Hell no!” Lance argued, standing up as well. “I’m not gonna let you risk your neck, Pigeon! Give me your knife, and I’ll go.”

 

“I’m not a child, Lance! I can do this!” they snapped.

 

“I never said you were a child! I just can’t let you go out there alone! What if you get attacked?” he demanded.

 

“Did you forget that I’m the only one of us who’s actually fought a zombie?” They grabbed Lance’s hand firmly. “I’ll be fine, Lance. You don’t need to protect me.”

 

Lance ran a hand through his hair, looking away and biting his lip. “I don’t like it,” he said finally, “but if I don’t let you go, you’ll whine about it for hours.”

 

“You know it,” they laughed softly, dropping his hand in favour of hugging him. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”

 

He pressed a kiss to the top of their head. “You better be.”

 

They stepped back after a moment, retrieving their jacket and shrugging it over their shoulders. “Love you, Lance,” they told, reaching down and touching their knife to reassure themself that it was still there.

 

“Love you too, nerd,” he said, his voice both affectionate and anxious. “If you’re not back soon, I’ll come after you.”

 

“You won’t have to,” Pidge promised before leaving him there beside the fire, surrounded by zombies. They didn’t hesitate before stepping into the river, but they gasped as the freezing water enveloped their feet, easily soaking through their boots.

 

They pushed on, one foot after the other. The river wasn’t particularly deep, the deepest part coming to their mid-shin, but it was cold, and the chill went to the bone.

 

Once on the other side, Pidge drew their knife, listening. None of them had seen a zombie on this side, but that didn’t mean that it was safe. All they could hear was the whistle of the wind, the trickle of the stream, and the faint crackle of the fire.

 

Confident enough that they were safe, Pidge sheathed their knife and moved further into the trees. There was a fair amount of deadwood lying around, but they’d need a lot if they wanted to keep the fire going. They’d need to find as much as they could carry, and try to stockpile more; it was safer to return to this side of the river than to try and get past the zombies around their camp.

 

Keeping their eyes open and their ears sharp, they started retrieving discarded branches and logs, stacking it as neatly as they could at the base of a large tree a few feet from the riverbank.

 

They heard the heavy breathing before they heard the branch crack, and their knife was in their hand before they turned around.

 

Twenty feet into the trees, a zombie stood, its head cocked and its tongue lolling out as it stared curiously at Pidge. They swallowed a wave of panic and stared back.

 

“Leave,” they ordered. Their voice was trembling, but not as much as their hands. “I’ll kill you.”

 

It gave no sign of understanding their words, only responding by taking a step forward. Pidge instinctively took a step back, but their heel hit the firm trunk of a tree; they had nowhere to go. Even if they could dodge the trees, they weren’t the fastest runner in the world, and they had no doubts that it would catch them.

 

“Just go!” they said firmly, trying not to shout and attract the attention of anything else that might be nearby. “Get out of here. Leave me alone!”

 

It took a second step forward, and a third. It was advancing on them in honest now, and they’d have to think fast. Glancing around, they saw a low-hanging branch in between them and the zombie, and they instinctively ran forward, jumping and catching it with a hand. Their arm burned from the effort, but they were able to haul themself up onto the branch with their knife still gripped tight in the other hand.

 

Thank fuck for all the pushups Shiro made them do.

 

The zombie halted beneath the branch, looking up at them. They were just out of its reach; there was no way the decaying flesh would hold together for long enough for it to make it onto the branch. Pidge was safe.

 

But they were trapped.

 

They pictured Lance coming across the river to find them, only to run into the zombie. They saw its teeth sinking into his flesh, and they heard his agonized scream.

 

No. They couldn’t let that happen.

 

They had to kill it.

 

Steeling themself, they gripped the knife with two hands, keeping themself on the branch with their thighs and staring down at the zombie. It was still just looking up at them, occasionally growling or snarling.

 

It would be easy. Drop down, land on it, stick the knife in its skull. They could do it. 

 

They were terrified.

 

It was the thought of Lance that calmed their nerves. Lance and Keith and Hunk, who were vulnerable back at camp and waiting for them. Matt and Shiro, who were lost somewhere. Pidge had to save their friends and find their brothers, and no zombie was going to get in their way.

 

With their newly found courage, Pidge let themself drop from the branch, landing squarely on the zombie and knocking it to the ground.

 

They didn’t count on its strength.

 

The zombie easily dislodged Pidge from its chest, throwing them to the ground and reversing their positions. Pidge’s hands weren’t pinned, but their body seemed to be frozen as it bared its teeth in a hideous grin. Its hands were digging into their shoulders, their neck, and they felt warm wetness growing on their skin.

 

It leaned down, and that spurred Pidge to move. In one motion, they stabbed upwards with the knife, driving it into the zombie’s eye. It howled once before collapsing, and Pidge shoved it off of them with a disgusted sound.

 

They sat up, resting a hand over their heart and breathing hard. That was too close. They had nearly died.

 

The zombie had nearly bitten them.

 

The wetness was growing, trickling down their chest, and they looked down to see a trail of fresh blood staining their sweater. Cursing softly, they searched for the wound with feather-light fingertips, wincing when they found it on their neck. The zombie must have torn their skin when it was grabbing them. It hurt like a bitch, but at least it wasn’t a bite. At least they were alive.

 

They slipped their jacket off and pulled up their sweater, tearing a strip of fabric off of the bottom of their tank top. Clenching their teeth, they wound it around their neck, tying it as tightly as they could without cutting off their oxygen supply.

 

With the wound hastily bandaged, Pidge tugged the jacket back on and retrieved the knife, picking up what wood they had managed to collect. They didn’t know how bad the wound was, and they wanted to get back to camp just in case they passed out or something.

 

The water was just as cold as they remembered as they waded back through it, but at least this time the sun warmed their face. As they approached the camp, they could see their three friends sitting around, occasionally scooping food out of cans.

 

“I see how it is,” they joked as they got close enough, dumping the wood on the ground. “You’re all sitting around while I was doing the real work.”

 

“Pidge!!” Hunk exclaimed, standing up and hugging them. “Are you okay?!”

 

“You shouldn’t have gone alone,” Keith rebuked sternly. “Something could have happened.”

 

“Something  _ did  _ happen,” Pidge told stepping back and tilting their head to reveal the makeshift bandage. “I took care of it.”

 

“Did you get bitten?!” Lance gasped.

 

“No, it got me with its nails,” Pidge assured, “Right before I stabbed it in the head. Does that prove that I can take care of myself?”

 

Keith raised an eyebrow. “I never doubted that you can take care of yourself, Pidge. The point is that you shouldn’t have to. We’re a family, and we should be looking out for each other.”

 

Pidge sharply turned their head to meet his eyes, their lips parting slightly in surprise before splitting into a grin. They didn’t think Keith had ever been so open with his feelings, which meant a lot. He really did see them as family.

 

Pidge couldn’t stop themself, nor did they  _ want  _ to stop themself, from throwing their arms around Keith, hugging him tightly. He stiffened, but relaxed after a second.

 

“I love you,” they murmured, pressing their face into his chest.

 

“I love you too, Pidge,” he responded, and they could  _ hear  _ the pleased smile on his face.

 

“I love you too!!” Lance added in, and suddenly, he was beside them, his arms around them both.

 

“Is this a group hug, now?” Hunk asked with a laugh, joining in from behind Pidge and effectively trapping them in the middle of the three boys. “I love you guys so much.”

 

Pidge forgot about zombies and forests and missing brothers. For a second, all they thought about was the love between four people, and the warmth of the group hug. They loved each other, and they would go to the ends of the earth for each other.

 

As long as they were together, nothing else matter. As long as they were together, they were unstoppable.

 

-

 

“We shouldn’t stay here for much longer,” Keith said.

 

Pidge swallowed their last bite of cold stew before responding. “You’re right. We don’t know how long the fire will keep them back.”

 

“How are we gonna get away, though?” Hunk asked anxiously, “They’re all around us!”

 

“We cross the river,” Pidge said decisively, “We do it once it’s dark, so they won’t see us go. For the most part, it seems safe.”

 

“It’s our best option,” Lance agreed, looking up from the chunk of wood he’s been whittling away at with Pidge’s knife. “We have to cross anyways, if we want to keep going on Pidge’s route.”

 

Pidge looks up at the sky, where the sun is hanging in the middle of the sky, albeit slightly closer to the horizon than to its highest point. “I’d say we’ve still got a few hours until dark, so we should try to get some sleep now. I’ll take watch.”

 

“You had the last watch,” Keith protested.

 

“I’m not going to be able to sleep,” Pidge told truthfully. Their heartbeat still hadn’t settled after the run-in with the zombie, and they could feel the adrenaline coursing through their veins, sending tingles of electricity to their muscles. “I haven’t felt this alert without a panic attack to go with it in years. You guys sleep, I’ll keep watch and start packing.”

 

Lance’s pursed lips told them that he didn’t like it, but he didn’t argue. “Fine, but wake Hunk up if you wanna sleep. He hasn’t had a watch yet.”

 

Pidge smiled, hugging each of them quickly before shooing them towards the larger blanket. “Get cozy, I wanna pack the small blanket right away.”

 

They watched as their three friends settled down, cuddling into each other on the blanket and falling asleep fairly quickly.

 

They were alone.

 

There wasn’t realistically much to pack. They folded the smaller blanket and returned it to their bag, and retrieved everyone’s empty water bottles. Walking to the river, they knelt down, sitting on their heels, and methodically filled each of the bottles, tossing a chlorine tablet in just to be safe. All four of them had been drinking from the river and seemed to be fine, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

 

With full bottles, they returned to the campsite, tucking bottles into packs and zipping them shut. With those taken care of, the only thing left to pack was the large blanket.

 

They retrieved their knife from the ground, where it was lying next to Lance’s chunk of wood, and returned it to its holster on their thigh. With nothing more to do but keep watch, they sat down on the corner of the blanket, staring into the fire.

 

It took less than five minutes for their shock to catch up to them, and they burst into tears

 

.

 

-

 

Pidge glanced around anxiously, peering into the shadows the best that they could as they waited for the others to cross. They had crossed first to secure the bank, then Hunk and Lance would cross while Keith kept watch of the other side before following.

 

They heard Lance curse as the frigid water soaked into his boots and smirked. They wanted to call out a teasing joke, but wouldn’t risk something hearing. Instead, they left the bank, taking a few steps into the trees with their knife out and ready. All they saw was the remains of the zombie they had killed earlier; it was torn apart and half-eaten, so at least one other zombie had been there. They didn’t see or hear anything, so it seemed safe for the time being.

 

They heard the water splash as Lance and Hunk finished crossing, and they returned to the bank.

 

“All clear,” they told in a hushed voice. 

 

“Just waiting on Keith, then,” Lance whispered.

 

All three turned their eyes to their friend on the other side, and Pidge gestured for him to cross. With one final glance into the trees, Keith jogged into the river, showing no signs of discomfort at the cold. Lance had his gun out, aiming into the trees to cover Keith’s retreat, but the zombies didn’t move. They had left the fire burning, and it was doing its job well.

 

Keith made it to them a few moments later, shaking off his boots and adjusting his bag with the hand not holding his knife. All four of them had weapons drawn, just in case. They couldn’t secure the entire forest, after all.

 

“Hunk, what’s our heading?” Keith asked, his voice low and level.

 

Hunk gestured vaguely to their right. “Straight through the trees. There should be a town before we hit the mountains.”

 

“Great, we can restock,” Pidge sighed, “I don’t think we have enough food to make it through the mountains, especially if we run into trouble.”

 

Keith squeezed their shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry. We can handle trouble. Let’s get going, I want to hit the town before sunrise.”

 

They started walking, Pidge falling into step beside Keith while the other two trailed a few steps behind. Pidge kept their eyes moving, watching the trees and the shadows. If anything was out there, they wanted to be the one to notice.

 

So far, they’d been the only one to fight a zombie, and they’d prefer to keep it that way. Their friends didn’t deserve the pain that came from snuffing out a life, even the false life of a zombie.

 

The walk was silent, for the most part. None of them wanted to risk a fight. It was all too real, the chance that all of them could die at any moment. 

 

It wasn’t until the trees began to thin out and the rising sun started sending rays of soft light into the air that Keith spoke.

 

“I know what you’re doing, Pidge,” he said quietly.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” they said quickly, glancing behind them. Lance and Hunk were a few metres behind, talking quietly out of earshot.

 

Keith snorted. “You’re trying to protect us. You crossed the river alone twice, you don’t stop looking around, and you haven’t lowered that knife once. It isn’t your job to protect all of us, and you don’t have to try. Lance is almost a cop, and I’ve boxed for practically my entire life.”

 

“It’s not like that,” Pidge protested with a sigh. “I know you’re strong enough to protect yourselves, but you’ve never had to- to kill someone before. It hurts, even knowing that these fucking zombies are already dead. I’ve done it, so I should keep doing it so that I’m the only one carrying that pain.”

 

“You don’t have to be the only one,” Keith said softly, “We want to protect you from that as much as you want to protect us. You shouldn’t have to shoulder that burden alone. I won’t  _ let  _ you.”

 

“You can’t stop me,” they snapped.

 

It was Keith’s turn to sigh. “No, I can’t. I just don’t want to see you in pain.”

 

“Oi, don’t give me that, Keith,” they said, nudging him with their shoulder. “You’re in pain too. I can see it.” They laughed at his quizzical look. “Every time you look at Lance, it’s like the world is ending.”

 

“The world  _ is  _ ending,” he deadpanned, avoiding the subject. Pidge wouldn’t let it go that easily, though.

 

“Don’t tell me you don’t love him, because I know you do,” they told, “And you’re right, the world is ending. You need to tell him before you can’t.”

 

“It’s not that simple.” Keith bit his lip, one of his anxious tells. “I can’t just tell him. You don’t know what it’s like, to care about someone so deeply that they become your entire world. Besides, he’s in love with Hunk.”

 

Pidge laughed suddenly, amused at the juxtaposition of the conversation and the situation. “First, I do know what that feels like. I might be aromantic, but I still love Matt and Shiro and you guys so much that without you, I wouldn’t survive. And second, no? Hunk’s like his brother, just like I’m like his sibling, but he looks at you differently. Trust me.”

 

“I can’t,” Keith repeated firmly, raising his hand to block out the rising sun and squinting into the distance. “I can see the town. Let’s hurry. I don’t like how exposed we are here.”

 

With that, he started walking faster, and Pidge reluctantly fell back to walk with Hunk and Lance.

 

“Trouble in paradise?” Lance teased.

 

Pidge groaned, watching Keith’s back as he walked alone. “He’s impossible.”

 

Keith rejoined them as they approached the town, weapons raised and eyes open. They knew they weren’t safe in a place that open and accessible.

 

“We’ll be safer once we reach the mountains,” Keith assured, seeming to read Pidge’s thoughts yet again. “No zombie will survive for long up there.”

 

“We might not, either,” Pidge muttered, quiet enough that no one heard them.

 

The town was empty, and the chill in the air was unsettling. They didn’t stay there for long, opting to stock up on supplies before immediately heading out again. Pidge was exhausted, but they forced themself to keep going. They could rest when it was safe.

 

The group had barely taken a step out of the town when Pidge was hit over the head, and their vision went black.

 

-

 

The first thing Pidge registered was the cold metal encircling their wrists. They tried to open their eyes, but the world remained dark. They could feel whatever they were sitting on rocking up and down; some kind of vehicle, maybe?   
  


They started panicking. “Lance? Hunk? Keith?!”

 

“Pidge!” Keith responded desperately from somewhere in front of them. “Are you alright?!”

 

“Where are we?” they asked instead, struggling against the restraints around their wrists. “Where are the others?”

 

“I don’t know. I’m blindfolded and cuffed,” Keith told, “All I remember is leaving that town and getting attacked by some guys wearing masks.”

 

“Yeah, me too. You remember more than me, though. I got hit and passed out,” they told, a frustrated edge creeping into their voice. “What do you think is going on?”

 

Keith sighed. “Best guess? Some assholes are taking advantage of the crumbling society to kidnap people. I hate to say it, but I think they might be traffickers.”

 

Pidge felt sick. “How long have we been here?”

 

“Ten minutes since I woke up,” Keith answered, “I can’t have been asleep for more than fifteen.”

 

“We need to get out of here,” they said frantically, biting their lip. They needed to find the others and get back to the mountains.

 

“I’m chained to the wall,” Keith said wearily, “I can’t move at all. Can you?”

 

Pidge gave their hands a yank, testing it, and was surprised when they moved. “Yeah! They didn’t chain me to the wall. I guess looking like a girl was a good thing this time.”

 

“Hey, you don’t look like a girl,” Keith protested fiercely, “Don’t lose yourself, Pidge. Just- this is shit. Can you get over here? I want to try getting this blindfold off.”

 

Pidge let their tongue poke out as they concentrated on stumbling to their feet, shakily taking a few steps forward until their shins hit the bench that Keith must have been sitting on.

 

“Where are you?”

 

“To your right,” he responded, “Reach out with your hands and see if you can grab it.”

 

Pidge turned their body so that they were facing away from him, reaching as far as they could. Their fingers contacted Keith’s cheek, and they groped along his face for a moment before finding the strip of cloth and tearing it off.

 

“Thanks,” Keith sighed, “Sit down, I’ll grab yours.”

 

Pidge awkwardly maneuvered into a sitting position, and Keith quickly tore their blindfold off. Blinking a few times to get used to the sudden light, they took a look around the area.

 

It was clearly some kind of military vehicle, with two steel benches on either side and a piece of fabric stretched taut over the frame. It fluttered in the back, where the wind was catching it through a small opening. Besides them and Keith, it was empty.

 

“They aren’t here…” Pidge murmured.

 

“We’ll find them,” Keith promised, smiling reassuringly. “We just need to get out of here first. Our knives and our packs are gone, so let’s wait until we stop. We need those back, and we need the key for these cuffs, or we’re screwed.”

 

“But what if they don’t stop?” Pidge asked, their voice trembling as they tried to hold back tears. “Every minute we’re driving is another minute away from Lance and Hunk, and Shiro and Matt.”

 

“They will stop, and we’ll make it back. I promise.”

 

Pidge laughed darkly. “Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.”

 

-

 

It can’t have been more than another half hour when the truck rumbled to a halt, and Pidge lost their balance, their cheek slamming roughly into the bench.

 

“I’m fine,” they quickly said, shoving themself back up and climbing to their feet. “What’s the plan?”

 

“Can you get your hands in front of you?” Keith asked, “They’re probably armed, but if you can get a weapon, we’re in good shape.”

 

“I can try,” they responded with a shrug, thinking. If they crouch down and step over their hands, maybe?

 

It was worth a try. Pidge squatted down, tugging their bound hands underneath them. One foot at a time, they stepped over their hands, and grinned satisfactorily as they rose back up, hands now in front of them.

 

“Nice,” Keith praised briefly, and fell silent at the sound of footsteps approaching the open back of the truck. Quickly, Pidge positioned themself to the side of the opening, out of immediate sight, and waited for their opportunity.

 

“Anyone awake in here?” a man called roughly, poking his head in and looking around. “Hey, where the fuck’s the girl.”

 

“Pidge isn’t a girl, you bigot,” Keith snarled, “Come in and find them, if you want.”

 

The guy frowns, stepping in, and Pidge blindsides him, whipping their hands across his face and taking advantage of that to snatch the gun from his hip, aiming it at him.

 

“Don’t fucking move,” they growled, “Where’s the key to these cuffs?”

 

“Girl, don’t test me,” he snapped in response, staring at them. “You wouldn’t shoot me.”

 

They shifted slightly before pulling the trigger, blasting a hole into the canvas beside the man’s head. “Don’t be so sure. Key, now.”

 

An alarmed shout came from outside of the truck, and Pidge knew they didn’t have much time. They closed their eyes before pulling the trigger, feeling the warm blood splatter their face. Their eyes snapped open, but not fast enough. Another man entered the truck, weapon drawn, and his face contorted at the sight.

 

Pidge whipped their gun up, but they couldn’t pull the trigger fast enough to stop the man from doing the same. He slumped to the ground as a wrangled cry tore its way from Keith’s throat.

 

“Shit, Keith!” they cried, dropping the gun and rushing to his side. A steady stream of blood was dripping from his thigh. His teeth were clenched, and his eyes rolled to the ceiling.

 

“Get the key,” he gasped.

 

They tried their best not to panic as they scrambled over to the bodies, trying  _ not  _ to think about how warm they still were, and the blood drying on their face, and the gaping wounds in the two heads. They couldn’t afford to break down now.

 

Biting the inside of their cheek hard, they awkwardly fumbled through pockets, trying to get their still-cuffed hands to maneuver into the small spaces.

 

“Hurry up,” Keith said with a pained whine.

 

“Sorry!” they responded quickly, moving to the second guy. “Shit… okay, found it!”

 

They quickly unlocked their cuffs, their wrists burning slightly at the uncomfortable angle, and ran back to Keith. Once his cuffs were off, they dropped the key, desperately pressing a hand against the wound.

 

“I don't know what to do!” they cried, hands shaking. 

 

“We need to stop the bleeding,” he grunted, “Bullet went through, so just-  _ fuck _ . Bandage and tourniquet.”

 

Pidge started stripping, their jacket and sweater both landing on the floor. They pulled off their tank top, which was already torn slightly from bandaging their neck.

 

“Sorry, but you’re gonna have to deal with my temporary nudity,” they informed, tearing a long strip off the bottom of the shirt.

 

Keith laughed weakly, “Not the first thing on my mind right now.”

 

They wrapped the strip of fabric around his leg, tying it tightly and wincing as Keith let out a cry of pain.

 

“It’s fine,” Keith said, cutting off the apology on their lips. “Just keep going before I pass out.”

 

Pidge swallowed hard before looking around quickly for a stick or something they could use to make a makeshift tourniquet. One of the men had a walkie-talkie on his belt, and Pidge snapped the antenna off. It was as good as they were gonna get.

 

“This is gonna hurt like hell,” Pidge warned, tearing another large strip off the shirt and wrapping it around his thigh, a few centimetres above the makeshift bandage. They wrapped the edges around the antenna and twisted hard. 

 

Keith screamed.

 

Blocking out the sound as well as they could, Pidge blinked away a tear and finished their work with trembling fingers.

 

“Is it tight enough?” they asked shakily.

 

“Yeah,” Keith managed to choke out before his eyes rolled back, and his body went limp.

 

Pidge managed to tug their sweater back on before stumbling out of the truck and emptying their stomach.

 

-

 

Keith woke up around an hour later, and they both decided to take the truck back towards the mountains. Keith was in no shape to be walking such long distances, and with the two guns as well as their knives, they were fully equipped to handle any surprises.

 

Pidge bit their lip for what must have been the hundredth time that day, staring out the window and drumming their fingers idly on the butt of their pistol. They’d been driving for nearly an hour, so they had to be getting close to the town. 

 

What if Lance and Hunk weren’t waiting when they got there? What if they were long gone, in the clutches of men like the two Pidge had killed?

 

They shook their head roughly, trying to dispel the thoughts. They had to believe that their friends were safe and sound, waiting for them. They  _ had  _ to.

 

Keith glanced over, noticing their distress, and took one hand off the wheel to squeeze their hand reassuringly. “They’ll be there.”

 

“Watch the road, you moron,” they told, but their voice was soft.

 

A grin flashed across Keith’s face for a moment before his mouth settled into its normal hard line, and he gestured up the road with his head. Pidge looked away from him to see the town up ahead, buildings appearing around the road, and what looked like another vehicle up ahead. Keith slowed the truck as they neared it, and Pidge gasped when they saw what it was.

 

It was a truck, nearly identical to their own, but it had been barbecued. The engine still crackled with fire as their truck rolled to a stop in front of it and Keith and Pidge stared blankly at the blockage.

 

“What now?” Keith asked.

 

“I guess I’ll hop out and take a look around?” Pidge hedged, “Maybe this means that Lance and Hunk made it back.”

 

They hadn’t even set one foot out of the car when they heard a yell from behind the burning truck. Tears filled their eyes as Lance and Hunk both stepped out from behind it.

 

Pidge didn’t think. They barely managed to keep holding their gun as they jumped out of the truck and ran to their brothers, hugging both of them tightly.

 

“I was so worried!” they sniffled.

 

“We were, too,” Hunk said, his voice trembling and wet as well.

 

“Are you okay? Where’s Keith?” Lance demanded.

 

“I’m fine, but Keith got shot. He’s in the truck,” Pidge explained quickly, and Lance broke away from them to run for the truck. As Hunk and Pidge watched, Lance wrenched the door open and tugged Keith into a deep kiss.

 

“About time,” Hunk commented, grinning. Pidge threw their head back and laughed, snuggling closer to Hunk and letting him drape an arm around their shoulders.

 

Together, they walked back to the truck, and Pidge holstered their gun. For now, they were safe.

 

“Sorry to interrupt,” Pidge called, “But we need to get moving. Lance, front seat’s yours. We’ll keep watch from the back.”

 

Pidge climbed in first, holding a hand out to Hunk, whom they’d noticed limping. The two sat down on the floor and a few moments later, they heard a door slam, and the truck started moving, backing up first before turning around.

 

“What happened to you guys?” Pidge asked.

 

“The guys who attacked us didn’t expect Lance to have a gun,” Hunk responded, smiling slightly. “He got the first guy, and the other ran back to his truck. Lance accidentally hit the gas tank, and it exploded. I burned my leg, but it wasn’t too bad. What about you? The other two got away before we could do anything.”

 

“We were cuffed and blindfolded, but I was able to get a gun off one of the guys,” Pidge shrugged, trying to downplay it. They weren’t one to boast about their accomplishments. “I managed to get them both, but Keith got shot. He can’t really walk, so we took the truck. There was no way he was making it through the mountains.”

 

Hunk hugged them again, burying his face in their hair. “I’m sorry you had to kill them.”

 

“Nothing you could have done,” they responded softly, but they could feel their tears building again. Sniffling, they pulled back, wiping at their eyes and handing Hunk their gun. “Can you keep watch? I’m exhausted, so I want to get some sleep before we get to those coordinates. Shouldn’t take long from here, especially in the truck.”

 

“Of course!” Hunk agreed, nervously accepting the gun. “Get some rest, Pigeon. I’ll protect you.”

 

That’s all they needed. They let their head fall back against the cool steel of the bench, and sleep came quickly.

 

-

 

“Pidge! Come on, wake up, you nerd.”

 

Pidge forced their eyes open, squinting blearily at Lance.

 

“What’s going on?” they mumbled, taking Lance’s offered hand and clumsily getting to their feet.

 

Lance’s eyes sparkled. “We made it.”

 

Pidge’s eyes widened, any drowsiness banished, and practically flew out of the truck. All around them, people were dressed in military fatigues, and tents were set up between buildings. There was a blank-faced soldier guarding their truck, and-

 

Every thought flew from their mind as their eyes met another’s across the camp, and they started running. They shoved people out of the way, stumbling as they frantically crossed the camp, reaching the other side within a few seconds.

 

Matt’s eyes were brimming with tears as Pidge threw themself into his arms.

 

“Matt,” they sobbed, clinging to him as if he might disappear at any second. “Matt, Matt,  _ Matt.  _ I love you, I love you so much.”

 

“I love you too, Pidge,” he choked out, clinging to them just as tightly. “I’m so sorry, Pidge, I love you.”

 

“Pidge!”

 

They’d recognize Shiro’s voice anywhere, and it only made them sob harder. His arms encircled both Pidge and Matt, and Pidge let the familiar cool of Shiro’s prosthetic wash over them.

 

They were safe.

 

“Shiro, I love you,” they cried, “Matt, Shiro, I love you. I was so worried!  _ Never  _ leave me again!!”

 

“We won’t,” Matt assured, the smile on his face evident in his voice. “I promise.”

 

-

 

After their tears were wiped away and their stomachs filled, Pidge and Matt sat side by side, watching the sun set from on top of one of the buildings.

 

“I knew you’d make it here,” Matt told, smile wide and voice light. “I didn’t doubt it for a second.”

 

“I did,” Pidge admitted, trying to keep themself from crying again. “I didn’t know what was waiting for us here, and there were a few times when I didn’t think we’d make it, but we did. We did! What’s- are we staying here?”

 

“Definitely not,” Matt insisted firmly. “We aren’t going to live with soldiers. This isn’t our place, just like it isn’t Shiro’s. He only came in because he had no choice, but that doesn’t matter now. We aren’t staying.”

 

“Where will we go then?” Pidge asked, their voice as soft as the yellows and pinks dancing through the sky.

 

Matt let his face crack into a grin at that. “Shiro’s old partner had a cabin nearby, in the mountains. It’s not too high up, but it’s remote, and it’s self-sustaining. We can survive there for as long as we need to.”

 

Pidge let themself fall against Matt’s side, breathing in his familiar scent, and he slung an arm around their shoulders, pulling them closer. “As long as we’re all together, I don’t care where we go. We’re a family, all six of us.”

 

“We are,” Matt agreed, kissing their forehead. “We’re family, and family makes it through, no matter what. We don’t need society or soldiers or any of the little things. All we need is the six of us and a cabin in the woods, and we can build a home.”

**Author's Note:**

> like what you see? hit me up on my [writing blog!!!](https://charlie-albus.tumblr.com)


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